THE RING
by AsamiShimoto
Summary: I decided to write this after watching an episode of season 2, months ago, and all I wanted was making it more romantic. Enjoy it and comment!


_I post here a new version of the same story: the content is not changed, only the layout, as someone has pointed out that its readability was really poor and he/she was so right. My apologies. I hope this is much better._

 _I own absolutely nothing from the tv show. This is just a different version of how things may have gone… Hope you enjoy it and feel free to give me any impression, opinion and good/bad reaction it may give. This is a very short story a scene from season two suggested me. And I decided a more romantic end could have been in place._

 _PS: Thank you for the positive and negative comments! I love reading them! Wish you the best!_

' _It's been two days that you're asking me McNally! Why don't you ask Nick?  
He always goes for this kind of stuff!'  
Andy had been nominated for the Fite Nite. It had to be Nash, but she had Leo the entire week, so she 'nicely' told Frank Andy would have substituted her friend.  
"Back me up pal! Come on Andy, I didn't know what to say.." "And you choose me?"  
She knew Andy's wasn't the best at this, but she believed she could make it. On her side, Andy spent the entire morning looking for a substitute with no success.  
She knew that cow of the 27_ _th_ _would have kicked her badly and there was only 4 days left to work miracles. She was already feeling the metallic taste of blood in her mouth. She had even asked Gail to do that, but she had refused with a laugh and told her not to dare to ask Nick – they had a family dinner two days later and she wanted him to face it not with a black eye or a broken rib.  
Chris had trained her for the entire week, but she didn't feel ready at all: that's why she was asking Sam for extra work. He was nicely refusing enjoying her begging him for help.  
'Sam! Ok, fine you know what? I'll do paperwork for the entire next week if you want!'_

 _They were going for parade and he was letting her humiliate herself, by not replying back. He laughed aloud and after a few seconds of pause he said no, again. She had made a smart move knowing how much he hated papers. She ran in front to stop him for a last chance, forcing him to stare at her as she got closer to him.  
Their body were almost touching; she did it on purpose and watched his funny reaction as she was flirting with him. He attempted a step back, but she grabbed his vest before he could.  
Jerry walked by them and she let him go. He stared and got lost in those beautiful green eyes that remembered him a vacation spent in Ireland in his youth with his grandmother. He loved running down those hills, the greenest of the planet.  
She stepped back in crossed arms, ready to bargain to get what she wanted. He swallowed hard, and she raised an eyebrow. In fact, he would have spent some extra time with her and that meant that Homicide would have been away for a while. It was a good deal in the end. His ego was already standing with a beer and a big smile on the face._

 _'Ok, but just once and paper-works for the next 5 shifts. No discussion.'  
He said, smirking at her. She furrowed her forehead, perplexed.  
'Are you making me a discount, Sir?'  
There it was her calling him Sir, making him feel a king. All that romanticism was new and uncomfortable in his heart. Swarek stop.  
'What?' 'Well, it's done before you change idea!'  
She offered him her hand to close the negotiation and turned around before he could say something. She really needed that training and Sam was a discrete fighter._

 _Oliver approached and patted on his back, gave him the coffee and waited Andy to be away not to hear him.  
'Sammy, I'm proud of you. It's just eight in the morning and you don't waste your time.'  
Sam opened his mouth faking something to drop from it at what Ollie was implying.  
'No man, really. You have my support!'  
'Support for what?'  
Jerry stepped between the two men. Jerry looked at Ollie pointing at McNally.  
'Oh yeah, sure brother.' They toasted for their friend with those coffees.  
'Have you two finished?' 'Actually no.'  
Jerry finished his coffee before adding 'don't worry, Sammy. I'm eavesdropping Trace's phone calls to keep you up-dated just in case something goes on with Homicide.'  
Sam rolled his eyes, annoyed.  
'I know pal, the two of them dating is on the paper, but I caught her staring at your ass.'  
They laughed loud at Sam's face disapproving that conversation, but smirking at the same time, and at Oliver's childish reaction, patting on his shoulder with pride 'Ooohh, man! Sammy 1 and Homicide 0'.  
Sam's ego was already planning a big party ordering around to other ten small egos running here and there. He escaped from that conversation shaking his head before it could go too far._

 _The day passed by with no drama: Andy was on patrol with Dov. A couple of calls for domestic violence kept them busy all day and sort of exercise when Andy had to deal with a drunken husband ready to hit his wife and she thanked Chris for training her in the last days. She felt stronger, mentally and physically, even if her legs were heavier and a bit tired. She didn't want to push too much as that night Sam was going to give her the last tips._

 _A couple of hours later, Andy was ready for the training: she put on her boxing gloves and set down on the bench for push-ups. She was thinking about that violent man and when they arrested him when Sam broke into the room.  
'Worried McNally?' he said loud in a laugh.  
'No, sir.' She quickly replied. He put is gloves on in turn and approached her to study her face.  
'You ok, McNally?' she nodded and jumped on her feet. She needed to stay concentrated._

 _Her challenger was big like him, maybe even more stronger. And she couldn't let her touch her lower jaw. She was chewing badly since she was a child as the jaw was positioned at the back of the mouth by a couple of inches. Nothing serious but she knew that headache could be stronger because of that. She didn't say anything to Sam as that woman couldn't know her weakness to defeat her easily.  
'Ok, McNally, show me what you can do.'  
She raised her hands and pushed her knocks against his. As he raised his arms she followed and block the first punch easily.  
They were moving in circles when she watched him approaching her, trying to block her in the angle, but she escaped in time, again. He raised an eyebrow and repositioned at the centre. She was anticipating his moves, but she wasn't punching at all.  
'McNally hit me or we won't go far'  
Andy concentrated and clenched her fists for a second before punching him over his shoulder, but Sam was faster and blocked her. 'Come on, McNally! Is that all?'  
She punched back again, but he stopped her, they kept moving in circles for some time before Andy punched back, without opening too much, defending her face but faking a first punch to beat him again. He didn't expect that, and she took the chance for a third punch on his chest. He kept his equilibrium and coughed a bit, smiling at her.  
'Good, Andy. Be smart, she may be stronger than you, but you can be faster'.  
She let him take a breath and that showed up to be a big mistake. He took advantage of that and closed her in the angle. She was defending herself from those fists, scared at what could happen to her face.  
'Don't close yourself so much or she will hit your stomach until you'll bleed from your mouth!' He stepped back and invited her for round two. 'Come on Andy, use those hands.'_

 _He tried again to block her against the ropes of the ring, but she escaped punching him back, reacting this time. He smiled and observed her eyes concentrated in his. He pushed her for some seconds before a fast series of hits. She was still protecting herself, but struggling a bit this time. She didn't lose his gaze and tried to escape but he now preceded her as he studied her moves before. She touched the ropes with her back and crossed her arms and then dragged forward looking for space. Damn it, it wasn't working. He closed her even more until she broke her space and opened her arms. And Sam stopped. They were very close this time.  
'Andy, if she approaches you like that she won't be nice' he said in a struggling breath.  
'I know, I know' she was trying to calm down her breathing. 'Ready?'  
He stepped back after seconds, observing her closely to notice how well her body was shaped.  
He used to see her in that flat uniform that, apparently, was hiding how beautiful she was. She had a pair of short pants and a white halter.  
She reached him at the centre of the ring before raising her arms again. They kept their position and alternating hits one to the other for a while before Sam started to punch her again and closing as before. Again, she failed to defend and got stuck, but this time she tricked him and pushed harder to get free.  
Unfortunately, her confidence in her strength was too much and didn't consider his. She basically jumped in his arms as he opened his left arm to charge the fist. He made a step forward not to fall on his back and closed her in the angle with no effort at all.  
They looked at each other for a second, breathing hard for the physical effort and for that intimate moment they were sharing. He tried to push some hair behind her right ear and she closed the distance even more. He couldn't touch her she was with Callaghan. She closed her eyes and then looked back again crossing her arms around his neck. Sam welcomed that gesture and waited for her next move. He didn't want to screw her up, but he wouldn't have pushed her away too. She brushed her nose against his and then brushed her lips against his softly, to wait for his reaction. Sam widened his eyes and brushed his nose against her raising his chin toward her and there she kissed him again opening his lips a bit. He didn't hesitate and closed the embrace around her waist. She closed her arms around his neck even more. She took of her gloves and combed his hair with her fingers. He responded making the kiss more passionate._

 _Then, suddenly, Nash stepped in looking for Andy and they separated not knowing exactly what to do. Nash closed the door immediately, but it was too late.  
'Andy, I..' he tried to say something not to let the silence fill the distance between them.  
'It's ok. I just…' 'She is waiting for you, you should go.'  
He finally said, but those worlds didn't make any sense. Or maybe, he didn't want her to say she was sorry, she shouldn't have done it or something that would have broken the spell between them._


End file.
